Church welcomes UK ratification of Arms Trade Treaty

02 April 2014

Leaders of the Methodist Church in Britain have welcomed the UK
Government's ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty today. The
President of the Methodist Conference, the Revd Ruth Gee, said that
the move was a "legal milestone that should help to protect those
who are abused and oppressed".

"The Arms Trade Treaty has come about because, across the world,
people have made their voices heard," said the Revd Ruth Gee. "They
have spoken against the obscenity of the sale of arms to
governments or groups who abuse rights and kill civilians. It's
over ten years since the Methodist Conference called on the UK
Government to support a global Arms Trade Treaty. We are convinced
that trade and economic exchange must be grounded on the principles
of justice and the dignity of every individual that lie at the
heart of the Christian faith.

"The ratification of the treaty by the UK and other governments
today is a legal milestone that should help to protect those who
are abused and oppressed. But it's more than that. It makes clear
that profiting from the sale of arms to oppressors is beyond a
minimum standard of moral behaviour deemed acceptable in the 21st
century. It also establishes the principle that the industry of
arms production and sales should be accountable to the
public."

Two years ago, as Churches across Britain were preparing to
celebrate
Peacemaking Sunday and the treaty was being negotiated,
church leaders
wrote to the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, urging him to
press for agreement on a comprehensive and unambiguous text. The
former Methodist President, the Revd Dr Mark Wakelin, signed the
letter on behalf of the Methodist Church.

Steve Hucklesby, Policy Adviser for the Methodist Church in
Britain, said: "The ratifications by the UK and other EU states
today are important steps in the implementation of the Arms Trade
Treaty. We need to see the treaty make a real difference to
arms exports. Potentially, lives will be saved once the Arms Trade
Treaty has been ratified by 50 States and formally enters into
force. But even then the job is not yet finished. Those who pressed
governments to commit to the treaty will need to remain vigilant
and call for its application to all situations where people are
oppressed."

Notes:
1) See
here for the Churches' Joint Public Issues Team position on the
international Arms Trade Treaty dating back to 2004.
2) Photograph of the President of the Methodist Conference, the
Revd Ruth Gee,
here.